Online Reporter
Kimberley Chitambara, [email protected]
THREE men from Bulawayo have been arrested and brought before the courts on robbery charges after they raided a local company and were apprehended at the crime scene by police officers following a report.
Mthabisi Ndlovu (25) of Emakhandeni, Tatenda Choga (23) of Cowdray Park and Donson Dube (22), also of Cowdray Park, appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Ms Patience Madondo, facing two counts of armed robbery.
They were remanded in custody until December 15.
Prosecutor Mr Joseph Rugara told the court that on December 5, the three accused, together with an accomplice known only as “Mdu”, who is still at large, allegedly planned to rob Altcom in Thorngrove.
“Acting in common purpose at around 9 PM, they proceeded to Woodstock Road, Thorngrove, entered the premises through an open gate and went to the Altcom workshop, where they manhandled the security guard, Johnson Gumbo, and covered his mouth with plastic,” said Mr Rugara.
The court heard that the accused then stabbed the security guard once on the leg with an okapi knife, causing him to bleed profusely.
“They dragged him into another room inside the premises, where they tied his legs and left him bleeding,” Mr Rugara said.
The gang allegedly broke into the Altcom warehouse using a bolt cutter and began offloading 39 IBR galvanised sheets valued at US$610 and 23 doorframes worth US$437.
Outside the warehouse, they also stole an HP laptop valued at US$450 and a small cell phone valued at US$10.
After offloading the items, the accused allegedly phoned Maqhawe Sibanda, who arrived driving a UD truck, and they started loading the stolen property onto the vehicle.
“During the process, managing director Mamvura Moyo arrived at the scene with police officers. Ndlovu and Mdu managed to escape, while Choga and Dube were arrested at the scene,” said Mr Rugara.
Police officers later used the two arrested suspects to lure Ndlovu, who was subsequently arrested at Emakhandeni Shopping Centre.
The court heard that the complainant sustained a deep stab wound to the right leg and was taken by ambulance to Mpilo Central Hospital for treatment.
The total value of the stolen property in the first count was US$1,507, of which goods worth US$1,047 were recovered.
On the second count, the same accused persons allegedly went on to rob Akim Chikwiza’s workshop, where they stole 13 × 50kg rolls of 2,5mm iron wire valued at US$871.
“They piled the stolen property outside the Altcom warehouse together with the items in count one,” Mr Rugara said.
On December 6 at around 6 AM, Mr Chikwiza received a phone call informing him about the incident. Upon arriving at the scene, he proceeded to Mzilikazi Police Station, where he filed a report.
The total value of the property in the second count was US$871, all of which was recovered.
